Rough Draft
by GabrielleTheGreaserGirl
Summary: After hearing that S.E. Hinton actually planned for Sodapop to go to Vietnam, I figured I'd explore the region: Sodapop and Steve get drafted and someone gets hurt. Will the gang be able to handle it? I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! THE OUTSIDERS IS PROPERTY OF S.E. HINTON! Please Follow, Favorite, or Review! FINALLY FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

Rough Draft

Ponyboy's POV:

So there we stood. I looked at the people around me, studying them, trying to take my mind off the inevitable circumstance I was forced to become a part of. Oddly enough, I didn't cry. Maybe it was because I was all 'cried out'. I had already done enough of it. I don't know. I think I was still in shock and denial.

They lowered the casket into the ground and I just watched, expressionless. I didn't want to look up now and see the gang all dressed in black, the toughness washed off their faces with tears. All I wanted to do was forget. But I couldn't… and that was that.

**Short, I know, but the second chapter is coming quick! Hope you guys like it!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

(EARLIER THAT YEAR)

Ponyboy's POV:

I sat on the couch next to Two-Bit as he took his empty beer can and attempted to balance my converse on top of it. He slowly placed the first shoe on top of the can as if he was an explorer trying to switch a ruby for a rock to outsmart a boobietrap. Even with his actions mimicking an explorer, his eyes glowed like a crazed scientist, his tongue slightly out of his mouth in concentration.

"Do you think I can do it Ponyboy?" He asked, smiling, not taking his eyes off his experiment. I shrugged.

"I guess so." Just before he balanced the last shoe, the whole tower tumbled down and his shoulders slumped slightly, weighed down by unimportant failure.

"Darn," he said, already sounding like he'd moved on, "Wanna do something else?" Due to the fact that I wasn't even doing anything before, I got off the couch.

"Alright, what do you wanna do?" He thought for a second but I could already tell he had a plan from the start, there wasn't much to do there, afterall.

"Wanna go to the DX and see Steve and Soda?"

"Sure." I grabbed my converse, slipping them on, and heading out the door. The DX wasn't that far, and during the summer, I had nothing better to do.

Sodapop was at the counter, talking it up with some greaser chick who I thought had nothing on most of the other girls he talked to, but he was smiling, so it didn't bother me. He turned to look at Two-Bit and me, using the same smile. It was friendly, so I knew he wasn't serious with that girl.

"Hey guys, hold on," he turned back to the girl who was now staring at Two-Bit, who might have been drunk, I don't know how many beers he had before I woke up so, maybe that's what she was seeing. I couldn't tell with Two-Bit. "Okay, so here's your change," he emptied a few coins into the girl's hand, which was shaking slightly, she liked him. I could tell. "Have a nice day." She smiled, replying with a quiet "Thanks" and left.

"So who's the fox?" Two-Bit asked, cocking an eyebrow, watching as she left. Maybe it was because he had a few drinks, but clearly Two-Bit couldn't tell, like I could, that Sodapop had no interest in a relationship with that girl.

"Just some girl, Mandy. She came for gas and started talking to me"

"I coulda given her gas." Two-Bit smiled evilly, turning to me. "Hey Ponyboy… pull my finger" I smirked and slapped his hand away playfully.

"Gross Two-Bit, that's why you ain't got a girlfriend"

"Shoot kid, there's better reasons why I ain't got one of those" He cackled.

Steve came marching into the room on the phone, clearly not in the same mood as the rest of us. "I don't care if the crash wasn't your fault you have to pay for the stupid repairs we had to do on your car! You wasted valuable hours of my life that I might need someday!" We all stifled laughs, when Steve was angry, all his respect for people left him, and it was kinda funny to watch. "Yeah? Well to hell with you too!" He hung up the phone looking at us, "it ain't funny" He jogged outside to go help the next car pulling in.

"Some girl came over here with a beat up car. One of the worst we've ever seen." Soda filled us in, "Turns out she can't afford to pay for all the repairs we did." He shrugged. "Steve's real angry 'bout it, but I told her she could take her time. It ain't her fault she doesn't have the money" Sodapop was cool that way. He understood other people's problems from their shoes.

Two-Bit wandered around, grabbing a coke and started drinking, "Do I have to pay for this?"

Soda laughed, "Would you, even if I said yes?" Two-Bit shook his head taking another drink.

"Nah, probably not." We all laughed.

I turned back to look at Soda, "Hey Sodapop wanna hang out tonight?" I asked eagerly. Without Johnny, I was bored all the time.

"Sure kiddo, whatta you wanna do?" I shrugged.

"I dunno, I'll think of somethin'" Usually I'd just end up watching a movie, but Sodapop couldn't sit still, he'd lose interest in the idea fast.

When Soda's shift was over I was the only one left in the DX. Steve and Sodapop were outside, finishing work and Two-Bit had left, chasing after a blonde a few hours before. I just sat next to the register, waiting.

"You ready to leave Pony?" I looked up and saw Soda. I stood, hearing my knees crack.

"Sure, wanna stop at home first, I forgot a jacket" The night's got cold, and I wasn't gonna risk ruining my night by shivering the whole time. He shrugged, happily content.

"Alright" Soda locked the doors and we started to walk back home when three dark figures stopped walking a few meters in front of us. Two of them turned around and dropped the third one under the streetlamp for us to see. It was Steve. He wasn't beaten bad at all, probably just a few good hits, but he had his arms tied behind his back with thick rope, and he laid there trying to regain consciousness.

I stood frozen, "D-Do we run?" Would Soda risk leaving Steve to save me from these goons? I had no idea.

"No… Ponyboy stay here. Don't fight unless I say I need you okay? But I want you to look like you're my backup" I nodded, that was easy enough, I already knew I'd end up fighting if he was. Sodapop ran to Steve, but the two men moved closer to him, causing Soda to stop short, halfway there. "What do you want?" Soda asked the strangers, trying to sound strong, I knew he was more upset than he was letting on.

"A fight, Greaser!" one yelled.

"Calm down," The other one soothed, "he's a dropout. He's stupid" I was beyond infuriated, but I remained where Sodapop wanted me, and by then both men had stepped under the street light, making themselves visible. They were both clearly socs, but I had never seen them before.

"If it's a fight you want you got it!" Sodapop hollered, running and pouncing onto the left soc. That soc was more muscular than the one on the right, but Soda liked a challenge. The right soc quickly stepped in, pealing Soda off the other, causing him to struggle, kicking and squirming like I've never seen him before. Eventually, the socs got him under control, grabbing his right arm and twisting it behind his back, making him yelp in pain.

"Do you like one hand or two Greaser?" The stronger soc who had Soda in his hold asked. It was at that moment that I realized Sodapop was never gonna tell me to help him. Even if they hurt him, he'd never ask me to step in. He'd never ask anyone to step in.

"Soda!" I screamed, running up to the socs and giving them both a piece off my right hook. The weaker one fell to the ground but the other just pulled Soda's hand harder before he released him and stumbled back. Soda screamed in pain, now on his knees holding his wrist. "Soda, help me get Steve, we have to leave now!" He nodded, quickly getting up, trying to pointlessly mask his pain. We grabbed Steve's arms, with his hands still tied, and ran all the way back home.

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Sodapop's POV:

I locked the door with my left hand, sitting on the couch, winded. Ponyboy stood next to the door, pale, like he'd seen a ghost, and Steve was next to me, rubbing his wrists where they were red with rope burn.

"You guys okay?" I asked, still looking at Ponyboy. They both nodded. Steve got up and walked into the kitchen using every curse word he could think of and put his hands under the sink's running water. "Pony, you alright?" It's not that I didn't believe him when he said he was okay, I just wanted to make sure. He was still awful pale.

"Yeah Soda, I'm okay" I nodded. "and you?" I hadn't stopped to think about if I was okay. I did a self evaluation and found I was fine except for a raging pain in my hand and wrist. I had felt that pain, before, after a rumble. It was a fractured wrist and I knew it.

"...Yeah I'm fine."

Ponyboy cocked an eyebrow, "Your wrist?" He was so observant, I should've never thought he wouldn't have noticed it when the soc tugged my arm.

"Just a fracture. That's all." Ponyboy sighed. It was hurting something awful, but I sure wasn't gonna show it. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed some ice from the freezer as Steve eyed me curiously.

"You alright Sodapop?" He asked.

"Yeah, just a wrist fracture..." He sighed, just like Ponyboy. They were both irritated I didn't take the injury more seriously. But as much as a fracture needed a trip to the hospital, we couldn't afford it, plus I didn't want a stupid cast. They bothered me.

I grabbed some gauze from our bathroom for Ponyboy. His right knuckles were bleeding enough to make me want him to wrap them up for the night. "Here Pony, wrap up your hand" I tossed him the gauze and he began doing as I said, just as Darry walked in the door.

"What happened here?" He asked, nervously eyeing Ponyboy. We all worried about him, even if he only had minor injuries.

"Steve got jumped," I explained, "and we helped out." He looked at the bag of ice I was holding on my wrist, as I cradled it in my other hand.

"Is Steve okay?"

"Fine" He called from the kitchen, still fighting his rope burn with water. Darry nodded, walking over to me and removing the ice to look at my wrist. It had swollen pretty bad, but I hoped he wouldn't notice.

"_Another_ fracture Sodapop?" He asked. I used to fracture everything when I was in rodeos. Now I just carried those injuries into everyday life as a greaser.

"...Yeah… I think" He turned to look at Ponyboy.

"Looks like you got a nice right hook in" He smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Two." Ponyboy corrected. We all laughed slightly, without knowing that _that_ was the last time I was going to genuinely laugh, in a long time.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Ponyboy's POV:

I woke up to an empty bed and an almost silent house. A few whispers drifted into my room from the kitchen, but due to the house always being unusually loud with the gang, I was a bit taken back. No one ever whispers. "Sodapop?" I called. The whispering stopped and then continued for a second, followed by Sodapop's voice.

"Yeah?" He yelled. If he wasn't going to come upstairs, I was going to go downstairs. I got dressed quickly, and rushed into the kitchen.

"Why's everyone so quiet?" I asked, glancing at Steve, Soda, and Darry all looking at the ground. Clearly none of them wanted to talk. I tried to put the pieces together. No one had been this quiet since Johnny and Dally had… died. "Where's Two-Bit?" I asked frantically.

"He's fine." Darry soothed, "He's at his house." I let out a sigh of relief. If another one of the gang passed away. I didn't know if I would've been able to handle it.

"Well then what's the deal?" I still searched for answers, but no one was giving them to me.

"Nothing." Steve spat coolly, walking out the door and down the street. I was confused, _why was Steve angry? Was it that girl from the DX who hadn't payed for her car, or was it just the fact that he didn't like me? _

"Soda?" He hadn't said a thing since I came down, and if anyone was going to give me an answer he would. He lifted his head, his dancing eyes now tired and rinsed of their usual sparkle.

"Steve's right…" He stated vaguely, as if his mind wasn't in the room with us, "Everything's fine for now." He wasn't lying. Sodapop rarely lied. But he was talking about 'now'. _What was so bad in our future that everyone was upset over it? _

"Soda… I want to know what's wrong." I demanded. He just shook his head, looking at the ground and hanging onto the counter for support while he tried not to cry. Maybe I was the only one who could see the tears ready to spill, but I knew Soda… and he didn't cry often.

Darry intervened, "Ponyboy maybe you should go see Two-Bit. I heard he's pretty hung over from last night." Darry didn't know me like Sodapop did. If he had, he would've known that that attempt to get me out of the house was useless… or maybe he did know… he might have just been desperate.

"I'm sure he's fine Darry, this wouldn't be the first time." I snapped. It came out ruder than I wanted it to, but I hated being left out of problems that involved my family just because I was younger than the rest of them.

"Ponyboy," Darry spoke with authority radiating off his skin, "I _want_ you to go see Two-Bit." I'd be a dead man if I didn't know not to argue with Darry. I walked out of the room and over to the front door. I opened and closed it so it sounded like I had left, then hid behind the wall leading into the kitchen, waiting for their conversation to start again.

Darry spoke first, "Sodapop, I can go _for_ you. You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do." Soda argued, "Just let the chips fall where they want to fall."

"But-"

"No Darry. I have to." I knew Darry had nodded, because the conversation was over. I silently headed out the door, for real this time, and began to walk to Two-Bit's. If he knew anything about what was going on, I'd squeeze it out of him.

**So how are you liking it? Please review**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Two-Bit's POV:

"What do you mean you don't know anything?" Ponyboy demanded answers, frustrated. I really didn't know what he was talking about. I had been sleeping until he came to the door. I walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a few lemons, hoping to make some lemonade. I was hung over, so I didn't want beer, but I wanted something with a kick to it.

"Sorry Ponyboy, I really don't have any answers for you." I shrugged, handing him a couple of lemons and a juicer, "Juicy those," I told him, "I wanna make lemonade." He did as he was told, still trying to get answers out of me as he squeezed the lemon with all his disguised anger.

"Are you sure…? When was the last time you talked to anyone in the gang?" He continued juicing.

"Uh… not including you… I guess Steve last night when I made a bet with him that I'd chase down that perky blonde chick who was walking across the street from the DX." I smiled to myself, "And I did it too. Wanna know what we did last night?" I started juggling a few lemons, "It's a bit 'mature' for you, but you've heard worse-"

He chimed in before I could tell him about our evening, "No Two-Bit, not really." He finished juicing and passed the bowl over to me. "I just don't understand… what could they be hiding?"

"I don't know kid but if I hear anything, I'll tell ya" and I meant it. It wasn't right for the kid not to know about problems with his own brother. Especially if Steve was in on it too.

"K… Thanks Two-Bit…" He left the house in a flash. I told Ponyboy that I'd tell him anything I knew, but the only thing I _knew _was that he was going to work his butt off trying to find out the problem before me. He wanted it that bad.

**Short chapter, but the next one's coming soon. Are you interested? Review, Favorite, or Follow.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Ponyboy's POV:

I ran to the DX the minute my feet hit the pavement outside Two-Bit's house. If Two-Bit didn't know anything, I'd have to get it from Sodapop. He'd cave eventually if he knew I really wanted to know the truth. Normally I'm never that pushy, needing to be in on family issues. But if this problem turned our house into a whisper chamber, Steve into a ball of anger, and Sodapop and Darry into an all out messes… it was serious.

"Soda?" I huffed, out of breathe, when I got to the DX gas pumps. I guess I had sprinted the whole way, and that was well over a mile. I walked into the store, "Sodapop… you here?"

"Ponyboy?!" He came rushing out of the back room, with a sigh of relief, "Gosh Pony, Darry and I didn't know where you ran off to, we were real worried. We called Two-Bit's to make sure, but it sent us straight to voicemail. Guess he took it off the hook again and it died."

"Yeah, well, he had a busy night. Probably didn't want the phone ringing." Sodapop nodded, only half hearing me. He seemed pensive and sad. I wondered if part of that was my fault, "You look upset…" I stated, "Sorry for storming out… I didn't know you guys would worry…"

"Oh Ponyboy it ain't that…" He cried. Suddenly I was scared. Something I wanted all morning was finally gonna be given to me and I was petrified. Nothing made Sodapop like that.

"Is it bad?" He nodded, tearing up, "Real bad?" He nodded again.

"Yeah Pony… it's real bad." His voice cracked slightly. "But, you deserve to know I guess." I waited, standing so still, my knees felt like they were gonna snap from being locked. I was bracing for Sodapop to tell me what curse was placed on my family's future, and I knew it was gonna be awful. "Ponyboy… Steve and I… we're-we're going to 'nam." He broke down in tears, still hopelessly trying to hold them back, "We've been drafted."

I felt like I was going to pass out. I grabbed the countertop next to the register for support. "Please let this be a joke Soda," I pleaded, "a sick, sick, joke." He just shook his head, silent tears streaming down his face leaving red tracks to represent the pain. Both him _and_ Steve? I didn't know what to do. I felt sick. I decided to sit down… or… I guess my body did. I slid down the side of the counter, bringing my knees to my chest.

"No Soda… Please no…" I cried into my knees like I've never cried before. More than when Johnny and Dally passed, maybe even slightly more than when Mom and Dad died. In both of those cases, I was in more of a state of shock, but for some reason, when it came to Sodapop, all I could do was cry like a baby. That's why Darry was talking about going _for_ Soda, that's why Steve was angry, but most of all… that's why no one told me. I began gasping for air between sobs, unable to control it.

Eventually, someone picked me up and brought me home. I think it was Darry. At some point Sodapop must have called him… I guess I just didn't hear it. I was so out of it, the only words I heard were Soda's, telling me the bad news, they kept replaying in my head. I couldn't even look up to make eye contact with anyone for the rest of the day. Darry had to go to work so Two-Bit watched me. I think he tried to calm me down a few times, but that didn't work. I barely even heard him. Even if Soda went to Vietnam and came back healthy, he'd still be different. Experiencing war changes people, and I couldn't deal with that happening to Sodapop.

I stopped crying sometime late in the afternoon and fell asleep only to be woken up by Darry, telling me it was time for dinner. I didn't eat anything all day. During dinner we all sat, shuffling the food around our plates. I felt so sick, I would've thrown up if there was any food in my system. I guess crying does that to you. Correction: I guess heartbreak does that to you. I stared off into space that whole meal, until I felt someone shaking my left shoulder roughly.

"Ponyboy?!" I looked to my left and saw Darry. _How long had he been trying to get my attention? _"Ponyboy," He said quieter, "it's time to go to bed." I nodded, walking upstairs in a trance.

When I finally laid down I just stared at the ceiling. Sodapop snapped me out of it when he came up to bed later. "You still awake Pony?" He asked gently.

"Yeah… Can't sleep."

"Look Ponyboy," I sat up in bed, ready to listen to him as he sat next to me, "I'm gonna be okay, alright? I promise." I looked away from him. I knew if I made eye contact while I talked I'd cry again for sure.

"How can you be sure?" He gingerly grabbed my chin, directing my eyes into his.

"I can't… but I want you to know that I'm going to do everything I possibly can to keep my promise okay?" I felt a lump in my throat, I was going to cry again and I could tell. _What if he couldn't keep his promise?_

"I believe you..." was all I could get out, before a tear slithered down my cheek. We both lied down next to each other and Sodapop wrapped his arm around my torso, trying to comfort me. Maybe I was lying when I said I believed him, or maybe in the moment I really did. A better answer would have been 'I hope so' or 'You better' but that night my answer was 'I believe you' and even though I know there were better answers, I wouldn't change mine for the world.

**Might be one of my favorite chapters so far. What do you think? Review.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Darry's POV:

All I did that night was worry. About Sodapop, Ponyboy… even Steve. I worried about Two-Bit slightly too, only because he's Two-Bit, and he can get into a lot of trouble when something emotional happens. As far as I knew no one had broken the news to him yet though, so I'd have a little bit of time to wait before I began full-time worrying for him.

I wanted to go to Vietnam for Sodapop. _He shouldn't have to do this_,was all I could think, _he's too young. _But he was too stubborn, just like his other two brothers. Then I began to think about his wrist. How was he supposed to fight in a war with an untreated, fractured wrist? I worried about him the most.

Ponyboy was a close second though, when it came to who I worried about most. First we couldn't get him to stop crying, then a switch seemed to flick and he became aloof. He wouldn't move, talk or even eat. All he did was stare off into space, and it was starting to scare me. Especially because Sodapop hadn't even left yet, and he was already worse off than when Johnny and Dally died.

I worried about Steve mainly because he needed someone to worry for him. His dad sure didn't care. He probably didn't even know Steve was going to war yet… or couldn't comprehend the fact due to him being drunk 90% of the time. Steve was Soda's age, and I didn't want to see him go to war either.

By the time every worry had circled around my head 1,000 times it was already morning and time to go to work. Sodapop had to go off to Vietnam in a few days, and the same routine of worried filled nights would become a normal thing for every night leading up to the day he left. I wasn't sleeping until all the issues that plagued our gang were gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Steve's POV:

The day we all dreaded had finally arrived. Everyone seemed to just be going through the motions that day. Even Sodapop, who was usually the happiest in the gang, couldn't find a bright side to this situation.

Whenever I asked Soda about his feelings toward being drafted he'd respond: 'It's for the good of our country Steve' or 'It's just like a rumble… no big' He was either in denial or, like me, had nothing good to say about our circumstance and had to think of something.

We all drove to where Sodapop and I were being picked up, and when I say 'all' I mean ALL. We were all wrecks too. Sodapop and I were being forced to gamble our lives, Two-Bit looked constantly uncomfortable due to the mood making it impossible to crack a joke, Darry was about to fall asleep at the wheel, and Ponyboy hadn't said a word since the night he found out, he looked like he was ready to puke or pass out any second, maybe both.

When the car reached it's destination Darry just put it in park and we all sat in silence. Sodapop and I could've gotten out of the truck and ran. We could have laid low until the war was over. But we didn't. Instead we all got out together ready to say our goodbyes.

I said goodbye to everyone first, hugging and shaking hands. Sodapop didn't look ready for that yet. But, when it was his turn he went over to Two-Bit first, who put up his hand up for a high five, pulling it away quickly, while forcing a smirk through tears "Too slow" his voice cracked. Sodapop pulled him into a hug, tearing as well.

Next, he approached Darry who immediately pulled him into the tightest hug I've seen. I thought he might have suffocated Sodapop right there so that he wouldn't have to go off to war, but when he let go, Soda seemed to be fine. I had never witnessed Darry cry before, ever, and it hurt me to know how much this meant to him to make him full on sob in front of the whole gang.

Lastly, he walked over to the kid. Ponyboy had a straight face on, _he _looked more like a soldier going out to war than Soda and I did. All Soda could get out was "...Ponyboy…" and they both rushed to hug each other, all the emotion returning to Pony's face. The kid cried so much with such immense amounts of sadness that I almost started to too. Almost. I heard the kid whisper something along the lines of 'don't go' and Soda only held him tighter.

"Just remember my promise Ponyboy" Soda said, finally letting go. Darry grabbed Ponyboy's arm before he could say anything else because Sodapop and I had to board our plane to Vietnam and we were all afraid that if we let Ponyboy say anything else, we'd all break down.

**Off to Vietnam! Keep reviewing. I'm loving your reactions! Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Steve's POV:

On the plane, I looked around at everyone, analyzing them. As far as I saw it, there were three types of people on the plane that day. The weaklings who just didn't belong there, the average strong guys like Sodapop and I, and the extremely muscular, 'I'd-smash-your-face-in-if-it-was-legal' kind of guys. Our group and the muscular group were pretty even on people whereas the weaklings looked like just the unlucky few that were drafted there.

Sodapop looked like he didn't even notice there were others on the plane. Even when he was spacing out he was distracting me. He was either bobbing his leg impatiently, or drumming his fingers on the armrest. Finally I put my hand on his leg, stopping the bobbing, but making him jump slightly. Sodapop was never that jumpy. "Sodapop," I confronted him gently, "stop fidgeting, you're driving me crazy."

"S-Sorry…" He was never one to stutter. I began to wonder if he was okay. He was usually pretty good about keeping his cool.

"Soda…"

"I'm fine." He stared out the plane window, avoiding my eyes. I was kind of happy he didn't make eye contact. If I saw pain in his once dancing eyes, I don't know what would've happened.

We went the rest of the plane ride without speaking.

**Sorry for not updating yesterday. Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Darry's POV:

I fell asleep before we got home. I guess Two-Bit ended up driving instead of me. It was probably a good decision. We were a few blocks away from home when I woke up. I was in the back seat with Ponyboy in the passenger. Our gang was gonna have to deal with being three people for a while.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty woke up!" Two-Bit forced a smile. He didn't fool me, the happiness never reached his eyes. Ponyboy just turned to look at me, expressionless and then turned back to looking at the rode. It was like he was a robot. "Seriously Darry how long has it been since you slept?" Two-Bit desperately tried to make conversation.

"It doesn't matter." I sat up groggily, "When did I doze off?"

"We were about to pull out of the parking lot when you almost collapsed at the wheel. I told Ponyboy to help me get you into the back so I could drive home. You wouldn't even wake up when we moved you. I thought you blacked out." I _felt_ like I had blacked out. I hated naps in the middle of the day, they always made me disoriented.

"Oh… thanks."

"Don't thank me, I was just saving my own life from a hideous accident." I saw Ponyboy shiver out of the corner of my eye. I knew what that was about, car accidents were obviously a touchy subject for our family.

"Yeah, well, thanks anyway." We pulled up to the house and we all walked inside. Two-Bit made himself at home, rushing to the refrigerator, pulling out a beer. "Hey, we don't have any beer here…" I stated confused. _Had I gone out and bought beer recently?_

"_You_ don't," He corrected, "But I hid some in here for when I come over." _Great. _I thought, _Just what we need when everyone is emotionally unstable. _But I didn't argue. It wasn't worth it with Two-Bit.

Two-Bit sat on the couch, turning on Mickey Mouse. He really did have the mind of a child. With a few beers and cartoons, he'd forget about Steve and Soda leaving. I wished I could do that.

Ponyboy didn't sit around with us, he came inside and rushed to the staircase. I grabbed his arm, "Where ya goin'?" I asked curiously.

"Upstairs." He stated, emotionless.

"Why?" He looked at me and shrugged, "Why don't you stay down here with us?" He shook his head. He wasn't being rude, he looked too sad for that.

"I want to go upstairs." I was taken back. He hadn't fought with me since the night Sodapop ran off, and that was the first time he had given me more than a one word answer since he found out Soda and Steve were drafted.

"Please Pony…"

"Don't fight with me Darry" He commanded firmly, "he doesn't want us fighting." I realized then how sensitive he was to the draft. He was toughening up like Dally on the outside, but on the inside, he couldn't even keep his composure enough to say Sodapop's name.

"Alright, you can go upstairs." I let go of his arm. He didn't acknowledge my statement, he just turned his head towards the top of the stairs and proceeded up into his room.

"What was that about?" Two-Bit asked from the kitchen, guzzling down another beer.

"Nothing, I think he's just upset." For the first time in a while I was scared. Scared for Soda, of course, but scared for Ponyboy too. I didn't want him tough like Dally, and I didn't want him depressed either.

"The kid'll get over it" He shrugged, "He can't overthink this. It's not like there isn't a chance of them making it back." I wondered how he was taking this so well, and then I realized it was good ol', laid-back, Two-Bit, not to mention his several beers.

"I know…" I agreed, "but I think he's scared of how they'll arrive back." I listened to myself talk and tried to figure out if 'he' was Ponyboy or me. I never found out.

**Sorry for the late update. Internet was down. Hope you enjoy. More detailed chapters to come.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Ponyboy's POV:

I checked the mail everyday. Sodapop and Steve had to train before they marched into war so they had some time to write. Steve wrote us often. He mostly kept it short and sweet:

Letter 1:

Guys,

Training's hard, but we're doing alright.

~Steve (most of his letters followed this same outline, but letter 25 was different).

Letter 25:

Guys,

They promoted Sodapop to Second Lieutenant. Most of the time, you can't be promoted to that kind of class without going to college and taking the ROTC program, but when the original Second Lieutenant got sick, we all voted Sodapop to take the class and become the new one. He's in the program right now so they can get him on the job real soon.

Update you guys later,

~Steve

Sodapop wrote less often due to the fact that he was now enrolled in the ROTC program, But when he did write, his letters were longer than Steve's:

Hey Greasers,

Everything's swell really. I hear Steve already wrote y'all bout me moving up to 2nd Lieutenant. I don't mind the classes really, so don't worry bout nothin.

My wrist is feeling better. I'm trying not to overwork it, but with all the training, I think I'm only making it take longer to heal. Oh well. Don't worry bout it.

The only thing I ask from you guys is to stay cool

Remember my promise Pony.

Bye,

Sodapop

I read that letter again and again. When he said 'Don't worry bout nothin' did he secretly word it to mean we _should_ worry? I overthought it, I know. But I wanted to be sure. His letters were the only way we stayed connected, and I don't think he took them as seriously as I did.

Sodapop's letter was the last letter I received from both of them.

**Sorry I haven't been writing. HUGE COMPUTER/INTERNET FAILURE. But I'm back now, chapter 12 will be up soon! Please Review!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

**WARNING: POSSIBLE TEAR-JERKER**

Steve's POV:

We were all hidden behind brush in Vietnam. It was real quiet, and no one dared to speak. We all laid flat on our stomachs for the longest time, our eyes directed into aiming our weapons at any sudden movement. Sodapop laid beside me, ready to give orders for battle.

"This is it…" He whispered to me, so quietly that only I could hear. He never took his eyes out of his rifle's scope. I looked at him and evaluated his features. His jaw was chiseled like stone and tighter than I'd ever seen it… he was focused… finally sitting completely still for the first time in his life.

"This is it." I repeated just as quietly, and looked ahead again. Past the brush I noticed the enemy forces encroaching. They hadn't seen us yet, but boy were they going to. "Soda…" I started, but he put his hand up as if I was interrupting his focus.

"I'll handle this. Stay low." He commanded. He stood up and made his way behind a tree, giving the rest of the group the same order. I followed him anyway. He wasn't doing this alone.

"Sodapop," I whispered, from behind the next tree over, "You're not doing this alone."

"Stay back, Steve." He looked at me sternly, "That's an order." He stepped up on the root of the tree in an effort to see the oncoming enemy.

"Soda-" But he was gone. Dashing to the next group of trees. I darted back to where the rest of the group was, waiting. "Lieutenant Sodapop wants to do it alone. We have to help him." They all exchanged glances. It was wrong to go against a Lieutenant's orders - against all our training - but we had to. Everyone knew that.

They all stood and followed me to Sodapop. He bounced out from behind the trees and fired at the encroaching forces just as we arrived. We all joined in and backed him up. Soon we had gotten the whole lot of them. There weren't that many in the group, but without Sodapop starting them off, we would've all been goners, and to this day I wonder if he knew that.

Afterward, we all began to run back to where we were stationed at first, behind the brush. Sodapop slowed and I stayed back with him.

"Sodapop everything okay?" I looked him over, he held his left side tightly. I hadn't noticed it before. "Soda, what have you done?" He stopped running and leaned against a tree. I grabbed his right arm so I could see the damage. He had been shot and he was bleeding real bad.

"He's been hurt!" I yelled for the others. I knew they'd come circling back but they were well ahead of us by then. "Darn it Sodapop, why didn't you just let us help you from the start?" _Why hadn't I gotten there sooner _I thought, _or better yet, why hadn't I stayed with him? _

"It wouldn't have mattered," He stated weakly, shaking his head, "My stupid wrist messed up my trigger hand." He laughed slightly, coughing, but it wasn't genuine. I knew then that the bullet had hit an organ. He wasn't looking good at all. He was pale and his side was spewing blood everywhere. Then I saw it. The one thing I never wanted to see. I saw pain in his eyes. His eyes once bright and dancing, were pale and pained.

"How bad does it hurt?" I tried to put pressure on the wound, the rest of the group, gathering around and trying to help.

"Not much," He said wincing. "I'm pretty bad off ain't I?" I looked down at the wound, avoiding his eyes.

"No you ain't… just a scratch… y-you're gonna be fine okay?" The group looked down at us in pity. They knew we were bestfriends and they also knew Sodapop's health was deteriorating fast. He yelped in pain as I applied more pressure. We were losing him.

"This is gonna be hard on Ponyboy and Darry…" He said through clenched teeth, his eyes closed tightly in pain.

"Stop it Sodapop, you're gonna make it!" He shook his head frantically, as if he didn't want to hear me say that.

"Don't do that to yourself. Don't give yourself false hope." He ordered, "...I'm sorry Steve. Tell the gang I'm sorry when you get back alright?" There was no use arguing with him.

"Alright Sodapop… I-I'll tell 'em." I felt a tear roll down my cheek as the rest of the guys got down on one knee. There was nothing we could do now, and that was starting to set in.

"I'm sorry Pony…" He whispered to himself, and then I lost his pulse.

"Sodapop?!" I hollered "Sodapop stay here!" But he was gone, and so was a part of me.

**Sorry for this... Tell me what you think and review**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Ponyboy's POV:

At the funeral I stood close to Darry. My consciousness holding on by a thread. I wasn't handling this well. Steve had come back to Tulsa, to attend the ceremony and he approached us slowly.

"He wanted you guys to know he was sorry…" He looked down at his feet, "...especially you kid." He made eye contact with me and I knew he wasn't making it up to make me feel good because that apology was due to something no one knew except me and Sodapop - his promise.

Soda might have apologized to the gang for putting them through this, but he apologized to me for not being able to fulfill his promise. He never liked it when people had false hope about something, and he sure hated giving some to me.

"He said he'd be okay…" I whispered with a straight face, looking at the ground " He promised me he'd do everything he could to be okay…" I felt Darry tense up next to me and Two-Bit pivet his head around frantically searching for a way out of these sad subjects. Then I saw Steve do something I never thought he'd do, he got down on one knee so that our eyes could meet even when I was looking down.

"He did Ponyboy. If he didn't fight like he did back there in 'nam - if he did anything differently - we would've all been goners… and he wouldn't have been okay with that." His eyes darted back and forth between mine, searching for some kind of emotional agreement with his statement, but I wasn't giving it to him. I'd have broken down if I did. "Ponyboy you gotta believe he's okay now alright?" He grabbed my forearms, shaking them slightly, trying to provoke a response. "He's okay."

I nodded. I couldn't deny that I believed Steve's words because I didn't deny that I believed what Sodapop had said. The only words that had escaped my lips the night of his promise were 'I believe you' and I had… so why wouldn't I have still believed that at the funeral? I couldn't stop believing Sodapop. "I believe you Steve." I answered. He nodded, getting back to his feet and standing next to Darry, teary eyed.

My body longed to forget. To suppress the memory of Sodapop so the moment wouldn't hurt as much. But deep deep down I didn't want that. I wanted Sodapop's memory to always stay with me… and I couldn't forget.

I wouldn't.

I sun began to shine through the clouds, reflecting off the casket's shine. The sunlight glowed and sparkled like the twinkle that used to dance in his eyes… and I smirked slightly.

He was okay. Somewhere up there, he was okay, and he would've wanted me the same way.

So there we stood. I looked at the people around me, studying them, trying to take my mind off the inevitable circumstance I was forced to become a part of. Oddly enough, I didn't cry. Maybe it was because I was all 'cried out'. I had already done enough of it. I don't know. I think I was still in shock and denial.

They lowered the casket into the ground and I just watched, expressionless. I didn't want to look up now and see the gang all dressed in black, the toughness washed off their faces with tears. All I wanted to do was forget. But I couldn't… _I wouldn't_… and that was that.

He was okay… so I had to be.

**THE END! So what did you guys think? Really good? Really bad? Favorite, Follow, Review, do what you gotta do! Stay Gold!**


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